WO1998053335A2 - Condition monitoring system for batteries - Google Patents

Condition monitoring system for batteries Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1998053335A2
WO1998053335A2 PCT/FI1998/000424 FI9800424W WO9853335A2 WO 1998053335 A2 WO1998053335 A2 WO 1998053335A2 FI 9800424 W FI9800424 W FI 9800424W WO 9853335 A2 WO9853335 A2 WO 9853335A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cells
battery
charge
state
batteries
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/FI1998/000424
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO1998053335A3 (en
Inventor
Usko Jokinen
Original Assignee
Usko Jokinen
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Usko Jokinen filed Critical Usko Jokinen
Priority to EP98922810A priority Critical patent/EP0986762B1/en
Priority to AT98922810T priority patent/ATE501441T1/en
Priority to DE69842163T priority patent/DE69842163D1/en
Priority to AU75311/98A priority patent/AU749477B2/en
Priority to JP55001498A priority patent/JP4705207B2/en
Publication of WO1998053335A2 publication Critical patent/WO1998053335A2/en
Publication of WO1998053335A3 publication Critical patent/WO1998053335A3/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
    • G01R31/36—Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
    • G01R31/389—Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a control system of battery health, which is used to measure the impedance and/ or state of charge of the cells of a battery.
  • Batteries are used to ensure the supply of energy in important systems when breakdown has occurred.
  • the safety equipment of energy generation and distribution, computers, equipment used in telecommunication, are examples of this kind of systems, traffic-related security equipment, critical equipment in hospitals and in the back-up systems of lighting.
  • the condition of batteries is ensured by regular maintenance.
  • the normal method of maintenance carried out 2-4 times a year is measuring the cell voltages and specific gravities in float charging situations. A load test is performed once in 1 -3 years.
  • the connections and internal corrosion of a battery are normally measured by impedance and conductance measurements.
  • the difficulty in using Valve Regulated Lead Acid Batteries (VRLA-) is the high variation of cell voltage. Another difficulty is related to the drying-up of a cell causing the voltage increase and is compensated by sulfatization causing a voltage decrease. Therefore the voltage measurement does not necessarily tell anything of battery health. Measuring impedance and conductance are normally used as methods of maintenance, although the correlation between these two and the battery health is not 100 percent.
  • the load tests carried out on a regular basis make sure the battery is healthy. By comparing the increased impedance the test interval may be lengthened.
  • the measurement of impedance and conductance by using the normal 4-wire- system requires the removing of the covers. Getting a good connection simultaneously in both the current and the voltage probe is difficult. Oxygated lead surface may give incorrect readings if the probe does not penetrate leadoxid surface.
  • the US patent document 5,214,385 recognizes the system of battery health, in which the state of charge is measured by using a separate power supply. In this case the measurement effects the total battery voltage and load voltage.
  • the system is not used to measure impedance.
  • the system used in the present invention according to the following description does not need a separate power supply, whereby the measurement does not effect the total battery voltage nor the load voltage.
  • the system of the present invention enables the measurement of state of charge alone or together with impedance measurement.
  • One of the targets of the invention is to create a system that can be used in the follow-up of the battery health, especially used in the measurement of the internal corrosion based on impedance measurement and/ or the measurement cells' state of charge.
  • This target is reached by a system based on the following the patent claim 1.
  • Another target is to create a system that enables it is possible to maintain battery cells' state of charge using a charge voltage slightly lower than the one used normally. This prevents the overcharging of the cells that lengthens the lifetime of the cells.
  • This target is reached by using a system following the patent claim 2.
  • the patent claim 3, which is not independent describes a low-cost way to carry out the invention.
  • the battery containing cells 12-20 is connected to charger 1 in float charge.
  • Cells 12-15 can be shunted by current generator 6 and cells 16-20 can be shunted by current generator 8.
  • current generator 6 When some of the cells in float charge are shunted their cell voltage decreases while the voltage of the other cells increases. The total voltage of the battery does not change.
  • the cell impedance By measuring the changes in cell voltage resulting from the shunt's switch-on, the cell impedance is found out. By following the voltage change by sampling during numerous shuntperiods the cells' gas voltage and state of charge is found out.
  • Protection resistors 5 and 9 have been calculated to stand a short circuit of a full battery.
  • the current's shunt resistor 7 is not necessary but when used one can lower the accuracy of the current generators. Instead using the current generators 6, 8 it is possible to use also relay-controlled switches.
  • the battery may be divided also more than two shuntblocks. On the other hand the invention can be used as a single shuntblock version.
  • the basic principle of the invention is shunting a single or multiple cell by current generators 6, 8 in which case the cell voltage change implies the state of charge. During each shunt period a number samplings take place.
  • the frequency of shunt periods may be for example 3 Hz.
  • the system based on this invention enables measurement of impedance and finding out the state of charge of a single cell or a whole block of cells both field-operated or remote-controlled.
  • the current generators 6, 8 can be used to give an equalization charge.
  • the processor 10 performs a signal processing to find out the state of charge according to the measurements and switches on the current generator or switch to shunt the cells that are not charged. In this manner the battery can be held in just the right state of charge. If a continuous need to charge is detected, the processor gives an alarm through an alarm out-put.
  • one of the current generators 6, 8 can be left on for certain time (for example 10 minutes) and measure the state on charge in repetition and repeat the cycle until the cell is fully charged. In this way one avoids continuous overcharging.
  • the readings are transferred through multiplexer and AD-converter 11 to processor 10.
  • the system can be connected to remote monitoring through modem 3 or the information may be downloaded to a data collector through the modem connector.
  • the system saves the measurements and information of the additional charge. When the network breaks down one automatically saves the time, duration and the measurements (voltages, currents and temperatures, etc.).
  • the wiring may also be done, in which case current generators 6, 8, multiplexer/ AD-converter 11 and processor 10 are in the data collector unit. In this way the float current, cell voltages, impedances and the state of charge are collected in the data collection unit. In the most simple case a separate pair of current generators and data collection unit provided with probes may be used.
  • the voltage of charger 1 may be adjusted to a lower level, because all the cells may be kept fully charged by current generators 6, 8. This enables also the use of old chargers with VRLA-batteries, because thermal runaway caused by overcharging does not occur.

Abstract

The invention relates to a control system of battery health. One or more cells of a float charged battery are shunted periodically through the current generator (6, 8) or switch and resistor (7). The system measures impedance and/or state of charge by measuring the change in cell voltage during a shuntperiod or between sequel shuntperiods.

Description

Condition monitoring system for batteries
The invention relates to a control system of battery health, which is used to measure the impedance and/ or state of charge of the cells of a battery.
Batteries are used to ensure the supply of energy in important systems when breakdown has occurred. The safety equipment of energy generation and distribution, computers, equipment used in telecommunication, are examples of this kind of systems, traffic-related security equipment, critical equipment in hospitals and in the back-up systems of lighting.
The condition of batteries is ensured by regular maintenance. The normal method of maintenance carried out 2-4 times a year is measuring the cell voltages and specific gravities in float charging situations. A load test is performed once in 1 -3 years. In addition the connections and internal corrosion of a battery are normally measured by impedance and conductance measurements. The difficulty in using Valve Regulated Lead Acid Batteries (VRLA-) is the high variation of cell voltage. Another difficulty is related to the drying-up of a cell causing the voltage increase and is compensated by sulfatization causing a voltage decrease. Therefore the voltage measurement does not necessarily tell anything of battery health. Measuring impedance and conductance are normally used as methods of maintenance, although the correlation between these two and the battery health is not 100 percent. In addition a high deviation even in cells of the same series and a strong temperature coefficient make it difficult to interpret the readings. In VRLA- batteries also the so-called thermal runaway, which is caused by the negative coefficient between gas voltage and temperature is a big problem especially when old and cheap chargers lacking temperature compensation are used.
The load tests carried out on a regular basis make sure the battery is healthy. By comparing the increased impedance the test interval may be lengthened. The measurement of impedance and conductance by using the normal 4-wire- system (separate wires for current and voltage) requires the removing of the covers. Getting a good connection simultaneously in both the current and the voltage probe is difficult. Oxygated lead surface may give incorrect readings if the probe does not penetrate leadoxid surface.
The US patent document 5,214,385 recognizes the system of battery health, in which the state of charge is measured by using a separate power supply. In this case the measurement effects the total battery voltage and load voltage. The system is not used to measure impedance. The system used in the present invention according to the following description does not need a separate power supply, whereby the measurement does not effect the total battery voltage nor the load voltage. In addition the system of the present invention enables the measurement of state of charge alone or together with impedance measurement.
When the cell is charged electrical energy is used in a chemical reaction, in which leadsulfate becomes leadoxid and lead. When the cell is fully charged energy is used break down water. The gas forming on the electrodes increases cell voltage which in retum decreases the float current. The total voltage of a battery is adjusted to a level (Stationary lead batteries typically 2.23 volts per cell) on which even the worst cell remains fully charged. In practice this means a continuous overcharging that shortens the lifetime of the cells.
One of the targets of the invention is to create a system that can be used in the follow-up of the battery health, especially used in the measurement of the internal corrosion based on impedance measurement and/ or the measurement cells' state of charge. This target is reached by a system based on the following the patent claim 1. Another target is to create a system that enables it is possible to maintain battery cells' state of charge using a charge voltage slightly lower than the one used normally. This prevents the overcharging of the cells that lengthens the lifetime of the cells. This target is reached by using a system following the patent claim 2. The patent claim 3, which is not independent describes a low-cost way to carry out the invention. In the following an embodiment of the invention is described by referring to the enclosed drawing, which demonstrates the block diagram describing this invention.
The battery containing cells 12-20 is connected to charger 1 in float charge. Cells 12-15 can be shunted by current generator 6 and cells 16-20 can be shunted by current generator 8. When some of the cells in float charge are shunted their cell voltage decreases while the voltage of the other cells increases. The total voltage of the battery does not change. By measuring the changes in cell voltage resulting from the shunt's switch-on, the cell impedance is found out. By following the voltage change by sampling during numerous shuntperiods the cells' gas voltage and state of charge is found out.
Protection resistors 5 and 9 have been calculated to stand a short circuit of a full battery. The current's shunt resistor 7 is not necessary but when used one can lower the accuracy of the current generators. Instead using the current generators 6, 8 it is possible to use also relay-controlled switches. The battery may be divided also more than two shuntblocks. On the other hand the invention can be used as a single shuntblock version.
The basic principle of the invention is shunting a single or multiple cell by current generators 6, 8 in which case the cell voltage change implies the state of charge. During each shunt period a number samplings take place. The frequency of shunt periods may be for example 3 Hz.
The system based on this invention enables measurement of impedance and finding out the state of charge of a single cell or a whole block of cells both field-operated or remote-controlled. In a fixed installation the current generators 6, 8 can be used to give an equalization charge. The processor 10 performs a signal processing to find out the state of charge according to the measurements and switches on the current generator or switch to shunt the cells that are not charged. In this manner the battery can be held in just the right state of charge. If a continuous need to charge is detected, the processor gives an alarm through an alarm out-put. When a low charged cell is detected, one of the current generators 6, 8 can be left on for certain time (for example 10 minutes) and measure the state on charge in repetition and repeat the cycle until the cell is fully charged. In this way one avoids continuous overcharging.
The readings are transferred through multiplexer and AD-converter 11 to processor 10. The system can be connected to remote monitoring through modem 3 or the information may be downloaded to a data collector through the modem connector. The system saves the measurements and information of the additional charge. When the network breaks down one automatically saves the time, duration and the measurements (voltages, currents and temperatures, etc.).
The wiring may also be done, in which case current generators 6, 8, multiplexer/ AD-converter 11 and processor 10 are in the data collector unit. In this way the float current, cell voltages, impedances and the state of charge are collected in the data collection unit. In the most simple case a separate pair of current generators and data collection unit provided with probes may be used.
The voltage of charger 1 may be adjusted to a lower level, because all the cells may be kept fully charged by current generators 6, 8. This enables also the use of old chargers with VRLA-batteries, because thermal runaway caused by overcharging does not occur.

Claims

Claims
1. A system for battery health, in which the cells' impedance and/ or state of charge is measured, characterized by the fact that when the battery is in floating state one or more of its cells (12-15; 16-20) is shunted through current generator (6, 8) or through the switch and resistor (7) and by the fact that the system measures changes in cell voltage by sampling during a shuntperiod.
2. A system for battery health, by which the batteries are kept in the correct state of charge, c h a r a c t er i z e d by the fact that when the battery is in floating state one or more of its cells (12-15; 16-20) is shunted through current generator (6, 8) or through the switch, in which case the unshunted cells get an equalization charge.
3. A system according to patent claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the system includes two or more current generators (6, 8) or at least two switches, which are connected between battery poles and a connection point between cells, making it able to shunt altematively the separate cells of a battery by current generators (6, 8) or by switches
4. A system according to patent claim 1, characterized in that the batteries are held in the correct state of charge according to the measurements by shunting one or more floating cells (12-15; 16-20) through the current generator (6, 8) or through the switch causing the unshunted battery cells to get an equalization charge.
PCT/FI1998/000424 1997-05-20 1998-05-20 Condition monitoring system for batteries WO1998053335A2 (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98922810A EP0986762B1 (en) 1997-05-20 1998-05-20 Method of monitoring battery health
AT98922810T ATE501441T1 (en) 1997-05-20 1998-05-20 METHOD FOR MONITORING THE AGING CONDITION OF A BATTERY
DE69842163T DE69842163D1 (en) 1997-05-20 1998-05-20 Method for monitoring the aging state of a battery
AU75311/98A AU749477B2 (en) 1997-05-20 1998-05-20 Condition monitoring system for batteries
JP55001498A JP4705207B2 (en) 1997-05-20 1998-05-20 Storage battery status monitoring method

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FI972135 1997-05-20
FI972135A FI108967B (en) 1997-05-20 1997-05-20 Monitoring system for the condition of accumulators
US09/441,913 US6384576B1 (en) 1997-05-20 1999-11-17 Condition monitoring system for batteries

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1998053335A2 true WO1998053335A2 (en) 1998-11-26
WO1998053335A3 WO1998053335A3 (en) 1999-02-25

Family

ID=26160390

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/FI1998/000424 WO1998053335A2 (en) 1997-05-20 1998-05-20 Condition monitoring system for batteries

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US6384576B1 (en)
EP (1) EP0986762B1 (en)
FI (1) FI108967B (en)
WO (1) WO1998053335A2 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999051993A1 (en) * 1998-04-02 1999-10-14 Btech, Inc. Battery parameter measurement
WO2001009631A1 (en) * 1999-08-03 2001-02-08 Elliott Industries Limited Assessing a parameter of cells in the batteries of uninterruptable power supplies
US6346817B1 (en) 2000-04-27 2002-02-12 Multitel Inc. Float current measuring probe and method
DE10260894A1 (en) * 2002-12-17 2004-07-22 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. Method and circuit arrangement for measuring electrochemical cells in a series connection
WO2005013409A1 (en) 2003-07-02 2005-02-10 Eaton Power Quality Limited Battery float management

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9833167B2 (en) * 1999-05-18 2017-12-05 Mediguide Ltd. Method and system for superimposing virtual anatomical landmarks on an image
US6931332B2 (en) * 2003-10-01 2005-08-16 General Electric Company Method and system for testing battery connectivity
US8415926B2 (en) * 2009-10-19 2013-04-09 Apple Inc. In-situ battery health detector and end-of-life indicator
TW201239379A (en) * 2011-03-23 2012-10-01 Dhc Specialty Corp Frequency-variable detection method for battery goodness status and device thereof
US9748784B2 (en) 2011-09-01 2017-08-29 Echostar Technologies L.L.C. Detecting batteries with non-uniform drain rates
CN104407300B (en) * 2014-11-25 2017-06-30 广东易事特电源股份有限公司 UPS battery detection method
US10587135B2 (en) 2015-09-11 2020-03-10 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Adaptive battery charging
US10396375B2 (en) 2016-03-24 2019-08-27 International Busniess Machines Corporation System and method for condition monitoring of redox flow batteries using data analytics

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4204153A (en) * 1978-09-01 1980-05-20 The Dow Chemical Company Method of determining the open circuit voltage of a battery in a closed circuit
US4238721A (en) * 1979-02-06 1980-12-09 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy System and method for charging electrochemical cells in series
US5281920A (en) * 1992-08-21 1994-01-25 Btech, Inc. On-line battery impedance measurement
EP0652620A1 (en) * 1993-10-14 1995-05-10 FIAT AUTO S.p.A. Method of equalizing the voltage across drive batteries for electric vehicles, connected in series during recharging, and a device for implementing the method
EP0662744A2 (en) * 1994-01-06 1995-07-12 General Motors Corporation Module charge equalisation apparatus and method
WO1997016879A1 (en) * 1995-10-31 1997-05-09 Xicon Battery Electronics Ab System for equalizing the level of charge in batteries

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5642100A (en) * 1993-11-17 1997-06-24 Farmer; Walter E. Method and apparatus for controlling thermal runaway in a battery backup system
US5661463A (en) * 1995-04-17 1997-08-26 Communications Test Design, Inc. D.C. battery plant alarm monitoring remote apparatus
US5742150A (en) * 1996-09-16 1998-04-21 Khuwatsamrit; Thakoengdet Power supply and method of protecting batteries therein

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4204153A (en) * 1978-09-01 1980-05-20 The Dow Chemical Company Method of determining the open circuit voltage of a battery in a closed circuit
US4238721A (en) * 1979-02-06 1980-12-09 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy System and method for charging electrochemical cells in series
US5281920A (en) * 1992-08-21 1994-01-25 Btech, Inc. On-line battery impedance measurement
EP0652620A1 (en) * 1993-10-14 1995-05-10 FIAT AUTO S.p.A. Method of equalizing the voltage across drive batteries for electric vehicles, connected in series during recharging, and a device for implementing the method
EP0662744A2 (en) * 1994-01-06 1995-07-12 General Motors Corporation Module charge equalisation apparatus and method
WO1997016879A1 (en) * 1995-10-31 1997-05-09 Xicon Battery Electronics Ab System for equalizing the level of charge in batteries

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999051993A1 (en) * 1998-04-02 1999-10-14 Btech, Inc. Battery parameter measurement
US6167349A (en) * 1998-04-02 2000-12-26 Btech, Inc. Battery parameter measurement
WO2001009631A1 (en) * 1999-08-03 2001-02-08 Elliott Industries Limited Assessing a parameter of cells in the batteries of uninterruptable power supplies
US6765388B1 (en) 1999-08-03 2004-07-20 Elliott Industries Limited Assessing a parameter of cells in the batteries of uninterruptable power supplies
US6346817B1 (en) 2000-04-27 2002-02-12 Multitel Inc. Float current measuring probe and method
DE10260894A1 (en) * 2002-12-17 2004-07-22 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. Method and circuit arrangement for measuring electrochemical cells in a series connection
WO2005013409A1 (en) 2003-07-02 2005-02-10 Eaton Power Quality Limited Battery float management
EP1649538A1 (en) * 2003-07-02 2006-04-26 Eaton Power Quality Limited Battery float management
EP1649538A4 (en) * 2003-07-02 2008-07-23 Eaton Power Quality Ltd Battery float management
US7772851B2 (en) 2003-07-02 2010-08-10 Eaton Power Quality Company Battery float management

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1998053335A3 (en) 1999-02-25
FI972135A0 (en) 1997-05-20
US6384576B1 (en) 2002-05-07
EP0986762B1 (en) 2011-03-09
FI108967B (en) 2002-04-30
EP0986762A2 (en) 2000-03-22
FI972135A (en) 1998-12-02

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7959476B2 (en) Clamp for electrically coupling to a battery contact
EP0986762B1 (en) Method of monitoring battery health
EP0276305B1 (en) Apparatus and method for measuring battery condition
US8952823B2 (en) Battery early warning and monitoring system
KR20180028467A (en) Li-ion battery safety monitoring
EP3859864A1 (en) Battery condition determination
EP0223507A2 (en) Transmission line sensor apparatus
CA2381032C (en) Assessing a parameter of cells in the batteries of uninterruptable power supplies
US9291681B2 (en) Monitoring apparatus and method of battery contact point in charge/discharge system with batteries connected in series
JP2003519900A (en) Battery health state determining apparatus and method
EP1116315A1 (en) Battery charge measurement and discharge reserve time prediction technique and apparatus
US10295608B2 (en) Non-intrusive correlating battery monitoring system and method
JP2007311255A (en) Battery pack status measuring device, battery pack deterioration determining method, and battery pack deterioration determining program
AU749477B2 (en) Condition monitoring system for batteries
KR100632018B1 (en) Device and method for monitoring an electrical battery in a submarine
CN100516915C (en) Battery managing metod and device
CN110412474A (en) Direct current monitors auxiliary system on-line in a kind of station
WO1998048290A1 (en) Monitoring battery condition
KR20020091878A (en) An Insulators Damage Monitoring Device
RU2265921C2 (en) System for diagnosing lead storage batteries
KR102629802B1 (en) Solar-based ess(energy storage system) safety inspection apparatus and the inspection method using the same
Wang et al. Online Monitoring System for Storage Battery in Substation
Boisvert Using float charging current measurements to prevent thermal runaway on VRLA batteries
CN117590229A (en) Battery monitoring device and method and electrical equipment
CN114428216A (en) Battery current detection method and device and storage medium

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): AL AM AT AU AZ BA BB BG BR BY CA CH CN CU CZ DE DK EE ES FI GB GE GH GM GW HU ID IL IS JP KE KG KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT LU LV MD MG MK MN MW MX NO NZ PL PT RO RU SD SE SG SI SK SL TJ TM TR TT UA UG US UZ VN YU ZW

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): GH GM KE LS MW SD SZ UG ZW AM AZ BY KG KZ MD RU TJ TM AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN ML MR NE SN TD TG

DFPE Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101)
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A3

Designated state(s): AL AM AT AU AZ BA BB BG BR BY CA CH CN CU CZ DE DK EE ES FI GB GE GH GM GW HU ID IL IS JP KE KG KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT LU LV MD MG MK MN MW MX NO NZ PL PT RO RU SD SE SG SI SK SL TJ TM TR TT UA UG US UZ VN YU ZW

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A3

Designated state(s): GH GM KE LS MW SD SZ UG ZW AM AZ BY KG KZ MD RU TJ TM AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN ML MR NE SN TD TG

121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
ENP Entry into the national phase

Ref country code: JP

Ref document number: 1998 550014

Kind code of ref document: A

Format of ref document f/p: F

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 75311/98

Country of ref document: AU

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 1998922810

Country of ref document: EP

WWP Wipo information: published in national office

Ref document number: 1998922810

Country of ref document: EP

REG Reference to national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: 8642

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: CA

WWG Wipo information: grant in national office

Ref document number: 75311/98

Country of ref document: AU